I Don't Sense Anything
by BeautifulInversion
Summary: Add - On to the episode "The Loss." The episode shifts from the conference room to Sickbay with Riker at Troi's side - How did he get there? I love this episode. Disclaimer: The characters and their creation belong to Paramount.


He knew those eyes. _"You don't understand…I don't sense anything…not out there, not in here…all of you, you're all blank to me." _Her voice sounded so hollow and detached…she was afraid and he could feel it radiating across the table as soon as her eyes settled on him and he couldn't stop looking into them. Will Riker pushed away the sound of the captain's voice as he suggested that they adjourn, Beverly coming to sit in the now vacant seat beside Deanna. But it seemed as if the counselor wasn't able to hear anything the doctor was trying to tell her. Riker couldn't even imagine. All her life Deanna had forced herself to be above and beyond what was the norm for an empath on her home world, such a powerful telepath for a mother. She had worked hard to hone her abilities and then even harder to fit in among the leery aboard starships and those not from Betazed as they explored new worlds in Starfleet, being near an empath was intimidating and nerve racking for some.

"Deanna," Beverly said, trying to get her attention. "Why don't we go down to Sickbay and run that internuncio series now?" She said softly, placing a comforting hand over hers. "We'll get to the bottom of this … it may be a little premature to worry – " Crusher never completed the thought aloud, realizing that her friends gaze hadn't changed focus since she realized her empathic abilities were muted. Beverly couldn't get her attention … Deanna wouldn't take her eyes off of the Commander. "Will," Crusher said, changing gears.

From across the table Commander William Riker turned his attention to the doctor. "Beverly, could we meet you in Sickbay? I'll walk Deanna down." Crusher looked to Deanna, who glanced down at her hands and then taking a deep breath once again looked up at Will.

"Will," she began again, and then stopped pushing her chair backwards and standing up. "I'll see you in sickbay Commander … as soon as possible." He nodded a thank you and as the conference room doors slid shut behind the Enterprise's CMO, he got up from his own seat, kneeling down next to the woman he had loved for half his life, the better half.

"Dee," he said in a soothing tone, putting a hand up to her cheek. She leaned into him.

"Imzadi, I can't sense you," she said clasping a hand over his. His heart sank and jumped at the same time. After all this time … that was what was effecting her the most.

"I'm right here Deanna and I'm not leaving you … we'll find out what's happened." She nodded.

"I blanked out, Will. I had just finished a counseling session and I covered until she left … the door shut behind me and it felt this intense pain in my head … I – I passed out on the floor in my office and – and I wasn't sure what happened, if I had hit my head when the ship lurched or … I called Beverly but I was so disoriented. I lye down and when she got there she wanted to run tests but the Captain called this meeting. I went to stand up and I knew something wasn't right, but when I realized I couldn't sense you … when I couldn't feel you, I knew something was wrong."

"Deanna, listen to me, whatever is happening Beverly will do whatever she can to fix it. She'll find out what's going on in that beautiful mind of yours," Will said, bringing her hand to his lips and placing a kiss there. "You're going to be okay."

"I'm scared," she whispered as he stood up. God, he wished he could have been there to help her instead of filling his duty on the Bridge, but he wasn't going to feed her fears now.

"No," he said. "C'mon, let's go see Beverly." Riker reached out a hand to her and she took it. As they exited the conference room together and the doors shut behind them …she believed him.

* * * * *

Will cringed after he heard the words come from Dr. Crusher's mouth as he stood near the biobed Deanna was seated on,

"_There's brain damage, how serious I can't tell yet."_

"_But I feel perfectly fine otherwise," Deanna insisted and then he heard his own voice._

"_Can you treat it?" _

Beverly was trying to get Deanna to promise her she would talk with someone, but Will had already seen her eyes … she was shutting down. The fear had crept back in and he knew, he knew she was angry, shocked, and afraid. But typical of his Imzadi, she wasn't going to let anyone help her. He listened as she told Crusher that she just wanted to get back to work.

"_Deanna," _Her gaze was once again fixed on his and she was challenging him. The fear behind those onyx eyes, she wanted him to let her appear in control. He wanted her to let him be there for her.

"_No medical objections," She asked the Doctor, there were none. Beverly looked to him her own blue eyes, asking him for help._

He watched as Deanna exited Sickbay. He balled his hand into a fist at his side and then opened it, her hand no longer there to hold. She had chosen to fight this battle alone … she wouldn't believe him anymore.


End file.
